Introduction SNAP Stretch, a program that matches SNAP benefits spent at participating markets to increase fruit and vegetable affordability and access, increases consumption of healthy foods among low-income households, boosts sales at local farmers markets, and benefits our broader economy. A $1 million state investment in SNAP Stretch could have a $2.84 million economic benefit…
Health
Open enrollment for 2023 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace coverage begins today, November 1. The Marketplace has been a critical feature of our health care system since its introduction in 2014. It provides quality health coverage for families who are not eligible for employer-sponsored coverage, Medicare, or Medicaid. The ongoing public health emergency triggered by…
Public News Service - The Inflation Reduction Act signed by President Joe Biden last month caps the cost of insulin at $35 per month for seniors who have Medicare, beginning next year. Read the full article. West Virginians say they approve the move - but many are struggling to cover the costs of other prescription medications.…
AP, 95.5WSB - The sprawling economic package passed by the U.S. Senate this week has a certain West Virginia flavor. Read the full article. The package, passed with no Republican votes, could be read largely as an effort to help West Virginia look to the future without turning away entirely from its roots. The bill…
Earlier this month, the U.S. Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act and the House is expected to quickly follow. This new legislation marks the most significant national climate bill ever passed, while also improving access to affordable health care, creating jobs in manufacturing and clean energy, and putting downward pressure on the inflation and rising…
Public News Service, Clay County Free Press - The federal health-insurance program for children helps keep more than 200,000 West Virginia children insured. Read the full article. Advocates said the Children's Health Insurance Program, which marks its 25th anniversary this week, is a lifeline for families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but do not…
The Street - Enrollment in the federal health insurance marketplace reached a record high this year. The increase was likely due to increased premium tax credits for the coverage and extended eligibility that was part of the American Rescue Plan signed by President Joe Biden in 2021, according to the Urban Institute. Read the full…
West Virginia Public Broadcasting - More than 100 people signed up to speak at a public hearing Wednesday on the abortion bill. Read the full article. With so many wanting to speak, each person was given 45 seconds. Several were escorted out of the chamber by police for running overtime. Several of the women who…
Beckley Register-Herald - With Roe v. Wade overturned, abortion is likely to become even more restricted or altogether banned in West Virginia. Indeed, the fall of Roe will create a stark patchwork of abortion legality and access in states across the country. This will exacerbate scenarios wherein people with means will continue to have access…
With Roe v. Wade expected to be overturned in the coming weeks, abortion is likely to become even more restricted or altogether banned in West Virginia. Indeed, the fall of Roe will create a stark patchwork of abortion legality and access in states across the country. This will exacerbate scenarios wherein people with means will…